Alternative & Renewable On-Farm Energy Systems

Farmers across BC work hard to reduce their environmental impact, using alternative and renewable forms of energy on their farms in climate-friendly ways reduces their carbon footprint. Fossil fuels are seemingly unavoidable, in many cases, there are alternatives. Adopting renewable and alternative forms of energy on farms reduces GHG emissions, even if in small ways. This webinar talks about some of the alternative forms of energy that both Full Circle Farm and Hope Farm Organics adopt to make their farms climate-friendly. Darrin Qualman from the National Farmer’s Union brings a unique research-based perspective to alternative and renewable systems.

About Full Circle Farm

Full Circle Farm is a 40 acre mixed certified organic farm in the Creston Valley in the Central Kootenays. They grow forage, small plots of grains (for human consumption), root vegetables, cows, chickens and most of our own food. Their focus is farming the soil using regenerative practices while nudging closer each year to farming without using fossil fuels. As they get older, they are becoming more of an experimental farm, trying different practices each year and enjoying the journey!

About Hope Farm Organics

Working under a cooperative model, Hope Farm Organics works as a team to keep the farm flourishing. Sharing resources, knowledge, and skills, they grow a diverse set of crops as well as forage wild products. This small-scale farm uses as little machinery as possible, with hand tools and training being the replacement for fossil fuel-powered farm equipment.

About Darrin Qualman

Darrin Qualman is Director of Climate Crisis Policy and Action for the National Farmers Union. He is the author of the 2019 report Tackling the Farm Crisis and the Climate Crisis and the 2019 book Civilization Critical: Energy, Food, Nature, and the Future. He farmed for two decades and has academic degrees in history, biology, and political studies.

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